Tech, Autos, & Gear in Layman's Terms Since 2006

While visiting with Spigen SGP during CES 2013, their Coated Backpack caught my eye. We’ve reviewed — and been impressed by — cases and screen protectors from Spigen SGP, but we had not previously encountered any of their larger offerings. They were kind enough to hand me one of the backpacks on the spot, and I used it the next day while walking the CES floor. It served me well and left me impressed. The backpack is light and simple but holds a surprisingly large amount of gear.

Designed to hold laptops, tablets, smartphones and a host of accessories to support them, the Coated Backpack features clean exterior lines. Appearances are a bit deceiving however since the backpack actually offers eleven different spaces to help keep you organized. Many of those spaces are lined with a soft, plush synthetic fur that will help keep your delicate electronics free from scratches and other dangers that come when carrying devices on the go. Here’s a video look at the backpack. Bear in mind I’ve been using it already. That’s important to note since it still looks brand new. That’s a fairly good indicator that this bag will hold up to some serious use over an extended period of time.

I’ll admit to thinking the backpack looked a bit too simplistic and youthful at first. And while I am still mixed on the color, I wish I had asked for a review sample in black, it has grown on me thanks to its lightweight and comfortable design. I can’t compare this backpack to something from, for example, Tom Bihn or Timbuk2 since their backpacks are heavy-duty bags that generally feel most substantial. That is not, however, a knock on this backpack since, thanks to its light weight and more refined look and feel, it serves a different purpose. It holds my gear and it is extremely comfortable to wear, and that’s what really matters when looking for a backpack.

And as you can see from this picture the backpack may have a minimalistic look but it can hold a good amount of gear. I used it with my iPad, camera, MacBook Pro with Retina display and assorted accessories. It did its job admirably. What more do you want or need in a backpack? The bottom line is this, if you like the look of this backpack and don’t feel the need for a heady-duty pack that has lots of external attachment points and a pocket for a water bottle this backpack is worth a look. If, on the other hand, you need to flexibility of being able to hang extra gear on the outside of your pack or you must have a water bottle pocket you will want to look elsewhere. You can learn more, see the available colors and order yours here on the Spigen SGP website or here through our Amazon Affiliate Store.

MSRP: $99.99

What I Like: Light-weight; Comfortable; Nicely padded shoulder straps; Clean lines on the outside and decent storage space on the inside

What Needs Improvement: No exterior pockets for water bottles; Organizational pockets are relatively basic in design; No external attachment points for accessories

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

Related

Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”)
Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him.

One Response to " Spigen SGP Coated Backpack Video Review "

I’ve recently received my Spigen SGP Coated backpack and I can say, for the most part, Gear Diary’s review is spot-on.

The first thing that was commented on by others was the color combination. It’s eye-catching due to the difference in contrast. Some people may not find baby blue with gray as their preferred color combination, but that’s more of a subjective aspect. The material has a really nice feeling to it. It’s a nylon weave fabric coated with a type of durable polymer; it’s flexible and has a nice grippy soft-touch feel. The padding for the shoulder straps and back is nothing special; it’s more like your average spongy padding you’d find on any conventional backpack.

The height profile is quite tall. There shouldn’t be any problem for me to fit a 15″ laptop computer in it, let alone a tablet device or 10″ netbook. There are so many compartments that I don’t even know what to put in them! Cables, memory cards, battery chargers, virtually any accessory can be fitted into this backpack with ease. There are two main large pockets in this backpack: one lined with a synthetic medium-length soft fiber lining (similar in texture to fur), and the other for miscellaneous documents and accessories. There’s a small front pocket that can hold even more accessories or even a tablet. The zippers are butter-smooth to operate. I’ve never experienced such nice zippers… No joke.

This is, quite possibly, the best technologically-inclined backpack on the market. Compared to the Incase lineup of tech backpacks, the Spigen SGP Coated backpack blows them all away. I’m more than satisfied by its robust design and great flexibility of application.